No. 237 Squadron RAF

No. 237 Squadron was formed at RAF Cattewater in August 1918 from Nos 420, 421, 422 and 423 flights of the Royal Naval Air Service. The squadron operated the Short 184 on coastal and anti-submarine patrols in the English Channel until it was disbanded at the end of the First World War on 14 May 1919.

By 3 September 1939 the Southern Rhodesia Air Section under Squadron Leader M. Maxwell had arrived at Nairobi in the Kenya Colony. It was then renamed as No. 1 Squadron S. Rhodesian Air Force. 237 Squadron was re-formed as No. 237 (Rhodesia) Squadron on 22 April 1940 when No. 1 Squadron Southern Rhodesia Air Force was taken into Royal Air Force control.{{cite web|author=Dr. Leo Niehorster |url=http://niehorster.org/017_britain/39_raf/me_group_aden.html |title=British Forces in Aden and Air Headquarters Aden, RAF, Middle East, 03.09.1939 |publisher=Niehorster.org |date= |accessdate=2022-03-21}} It operated a number of Hawker biplanes and was based on the Abyssinian border as an active unit of the East African Campaign, initially to defend British East Africa against the anticipated movement of Italian troops down from their bases to the North. In the autumn of 1940, the squadron moved into Sudan for operations in Eritrea, and Westland Lysanders and Gloster Gladiators were added to its strength. In May 1941 the squadron moved into Egypt and was re-equipped with the Hawker Hurricane, being tasked with tactical reconnaissance duties in the Western Desert. In May 1942 the squadron was deployed to Iraq, as a defence against any German invasion, and then to Libya in an air defence role.

The squadron was re-equipped with the Supermarine Spitfire (Mark VCs first, then Mark IXs) and was moved to Corsica to fly operations over Southern France and Northern Italy. It eventually moved to Italy, where it operated until it was re-numbered as 93 Squadron before being disbanded on 1 January 1946.

Ian Smith, who was later Prime Minister of Rhodesia, was assigned to the squadron during his service in World War II, and was shot down over Italy.{{sfn

|Berlyn|1978|pp=56–57}}

• Southern Rhodesia in World War II

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book

|title=The Quiet Man: A Biography of the Hon. Ian Douglas Smith

|last=Berlyn

|first=Phillippa

|location=Salisbury

|publisher=M O Collins

|date=April 1978

|oclc=4282978}}

• {{cite book |last=Halley |first=James J. |title=The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988 |year=1988 |location=Tonbridge, Kent, UK |publisher=Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd.|isbn=0-85130-164-9 }}
• {{cite book |last= Jefford |first= C.G. |title= RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912 |year=2001 |edition=2nd |publisher=Airlife Publishing Ltd. |location=Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK |isbn=1-85310-053-6 }}
• {{cite book |last=Rawlings |first= John D.R. |title=Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft |location=London |publisher= Jane's Publishing Company Ltd. |year= 1982 |isbn=0-7106-0187-5}}
• {{cite book |title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985)|publisher= Orbis Publishing}}

{{Commons category|No. 237 Squadron RAF}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120406203549/http://www.rafweb.org/Sqn236-240.htm Nos. 236–240 Squadron Histories]

{{RAF squadrons}}

{{Royal Air Force}}

Category:Fighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force in World War II

Category:Military units and formations established in 1918

237 Squadron

Category:1918 establishments in the United Kingdom

Category:Military units and formations of Southern Rhodesia in World War II